


(I am glad we are friends.)

by softly (alexenglish)



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pacific Rim Fusion, Fate & Destiny, Jaeger Academy, M/M, Trans Male Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-08
Updated: 2018-02-08
Packaged: 2019-03-15 15:04:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13615884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alexenglish/pseuds/softly
Summary: I love the way your face lights up when someone says, “It might be dangerous.”





	(I am glad we are friends.)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [c1trus](https://archiveofourown.org/users/c1trus/gifts).



> I guess it was Yuzu's birthday or whatever (happy birthday ily), since she's the biggest fan of Lilo and also my PacRim AU I really couldn't resist. this is set three years before the events of [Let It Be Lightning](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10803675).

****

 

**NOVEMBER 2016 - YEAR THREE OF THE KAIJU WAR**

It’s ridiculously late, his knees hurt, and he really needs Liam to stop being a deep sleeper immediately.

After a bit of poking and jostling, the pinch is what does the trick, right to the inside of Liam’s arm. A little yelp comes out of him as he wakes up, too quick for Louis to quiet him with a hand over his mouth or something. There’s a groan from a nearby bunk, a sniff, some movement; Louis has his finger to his lips so Liam knows not to ask questions right now.

Liam, bless his heart, looks startled as hell and ready to jump up and do battle for Louis if he needed it. It’s endearing, but luckily this is not anything dire. Just Louis needing Liam to break some rules -- possibly laws -- possibly _federal_ laws -- with him. As usual.

Which Liam will because Liam is Liam and Louis is Louis, and Louis always gets his way.

“C’mere,” Louis whispers, low as he can, not knowing if Liam woke anyone up with that noise he made. He jerks his head towards the propped open door. The dorm windows are frosted to keep anyone from properly seeing in, but there’s enough light to see how Liam’s eyes narrow suspiciously. He’s probably figured out it isn’t an emergency, then.

Louis grins at him winningly and rises, knees aching from the linoleum floor, finger still pressed to his lips. Backing up towards the door, he keeps his eyes on Liam. There’s no doubt Liam is going to follow, so Louis keeps going.

Goes right until he hits a bunk.

“ _Fuck_ ,” he hisses loudly, dropping his hand and letting out a whine. The rail got him right in the goddamn ankle.

“Shut the fuck up,” comes a deep, tired voice from down the row a ways. It’s not Louis’ dorm so he can't guess who it is, but Liam’s starting to look a bit panicky. The look gets worse when another voice chimes in,

“ _You_ shut the fuck up.”

Louis holds very still. Obviously, if anyone around him opened their eyes, they’d see him plain as anything, but he’s trying to remain optimistic.

“I’m not the one makin’ a fuckin’ racket,” says the first voice, decidedly less sleepy than before.

“Now you are,” comes a third. Louis recognizes it as the eldest Jonas, wincing. “ _Everyone_ shut the fuck up, wake up is at 0500.”

“It’s Tomlinson,” says the person in the bunk he ran into. It’s Rodriguez. He feels slightly betrayed. They totally had mess hall bonding time this week, he thought they were in a good place.

“Snitch,” he says. A pillow hits him forcefully in the head.

“Fuck off, Tommo,” Arden says from the bunk to his right. He’s feeling ganged up on.

“Oi! I’m goin’,” Louis says, flipping her off and redirecting it towards Rodriguez as well. Covering his bases, and all. “Just need me co-pilot --” there’s a wave of quiet scoffs all around him. Jackasses.

At this point, Liam’s up and found all the clothing necessary to sneak around the compound -- thick jumper since it’s chilly, socks and shoes -- now he’s stalking towards Louis with exasperation written all over his face. Louis grins at him in return.

“C’mon then,” Liam says, grabbing Louis’ elbow and tugging him towards the door.

“Sleep tight!” Louis mock whispers, loud and obnoxious. Another pillow hits him, shoulder this time, perfectly timed with Liam pulling him through the door so he can’t even see who done it.

“Fuckin’ Dorm C,” Louis mutters under his breath. “See if you just followed me in the first place --” Louis comes up short behind Liam as he peers around the corner. Apparently deeming it safe, he proceeds without answering..

“Don’t ignore me,” Louis whines, grabbing the back of Liam’s shirt as he guides them to… Wherever.

They end up in a deep corner, a camera and guard blindspot. Not that it’ll matter. It’s the 2AM slump where guards get hungry and lazy with shift change still hours away. The best time to move about the compound, in Louis’ opinion.

“What’re you doing, Lou?” Liam asks, close so they can speak quietly. Kind of looming, but Louis would never complain about being sandwiched between Liam and a wall. “You know you’re not allowed in the other dorms. Last time you got busted, they said they would suspend you.”

They have said that. They’ve also threatened to suspend him more than once. For multiple reasons.

Like fighting outside of Combat Rooms, but that was because that Nelson bloke had called him a fucking girl and Louis wasn’t about to let that shit slide, especially not in the first week. And sure, he shaved time off training sessions, but what was he supposed to do when he had five minutes in between classes to get to Medi and get his dose of T before the next one? And, _yes_ , he snuck into Liam’s dorm more than necessary or appropriate, but in all fairness, he told every supervisor within earshot during orientation that he and Liam should bunk together. It’s not his fault they didn’t listen.

“I have a really good reason for getting you up, though,” Louis insists. Excitement barrels through him even more intensely than it did this afternoon when he found out. Which is massive considering this afternoon his hands literally went numb from the adrenaline rush.

“Good enough to risk getting kicked out?” Liam asks.

Louis hooks a foot around Liam’s ankle and tugs Liam in so he stumbles a bit. His hands land on Louis’ hips to steady himself, big and warm through the PPDC jumper Louis has got on. Butterflies flood Louis’ stomach for other exciting reasons than the reason he’s excited in the first place.

“Don’t go all mum on me, Payno,” Louis says, laughing, hand on Liam’s sternum so they don’t squish together completely. Again, not that Louis would mind, but he has a plan and that means he needs to focus.

“C’mon, if you get kicked out, I’m going to have to co-pilot with someone I don’t know.” There’s a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of Liam’s mouth.

Even though Louis knows Liam’s teasing, the very thought offends him to his _core_. “I like how you think you can do this without me,” Louis scoffs. It’s a joke. Mostly.

Liam is perfectly capable of making it through the program without Louis. Wouldn’t break a sweat, but the idea of Liam Drifting with anyone else makes Louis absolutely mad with jealousy, though. He’d rather Liam drop out if Louis was suspended or removed from the program than stay without him. Not that that is something he’d ask Liam to do...

Which is why he has to stick around.

Which, in turn, is why he really does need to get his shit together and prove to all the instructors that he doesn’t have his head lodged too far up his arse to make the first cut, but he’ll do that _after_ tonight.

“Probably couldn’t,” Liam agrees.

That’s not really what Louis wants to hear. “Fuck off,” he tells Liam. “You’re strong and brave and shit. You’re a shoe in. It’s me we're worrying about here, Payno, don’t make this about you.”

“Alright, alright, c’mon,” Liam urges, leaning back to check the hallway.There’s no one there, Louis already knows. It’s silent and still, the only noise coming from the air con and their dumb arses. “We’re wasting time. What is it?”

“I’m not ruining the surprise,” Louis says, making sure Liam can hear how scandalized he is. “You’ll have to trust me.”

“A hardship,” Liam says, grinning. He nudges Louis’ chin with his knuckles. “Lead the way.”

Louis wiggles out from against the wall as his face heats up, hoping the darkness covers his blush as he tugs Liam’s jumper and aims them down the hall.

Louis has known Liam Payne since kindergarten. Since Louis pushed Liam face first into the sand because he was hogging the swing. Louis felt really awful about it when Liam started crying. Awful enough to take him to the nurse and stick by his side all day. It was enough to solidify their bond for life.

In those many, many, many years Louis has want to kiss Liam many, many, many times.

Thinking about it, he’s not sure there was a ever a time he _didn’t_ want to kiss Liam. He wanted to kiss Liam the day they met to apologize for the face full of sand. He wanted to kiss Liam’s cute, squishy cheeks whenever Liam gave him a crayon or helped him with his reading.

He wanted to kiss Liam throughout growing up, just so he’d know there was someone there for him when other people were arseholes. Like Louis could make up for all the black eyes and busted lips that way.

He wanted to kiss Liam every time they were de facto Valentines, or convenience dates, or lab partners. Like he could somehow thank Liam for always being by his side -- especially after he came out and everyone who really loved that fiery Tomlinson girl were suddenly ashamed to know a Tomlinson boy.

He wanted to kiss Liam all the time, really.

It’s only gotten worse as the years have passed. Especially dating people, and seeing Liam dating people, and _wanting --_

Especially now. Like maybe being split up by the Academy, and the inevitability of the world ending, and probably dying has hit the throttle on all Louis’ feelings.

Usually when he has a goal in mind it’s easy to ignore, but that moment in the hallway put it in his head, and he can’t help thinking about it as they move through the compound. The jailbroken ID card Louis nabbed from the control room gets them through every doorway, and all Louis wants to do is use it to find a supply closet so he can kiss the fuck out of Liam.

He’s not really sure what it is. The excitement buzzing under his skin, sure. The absolute gratitude he feels knowing Liam trusts him so readily, letting him lead the way without knowing where they’re going, definitely.

Now isn't the time for kissing, he can feel the truth of it. There's something here, something larger, something  _cosmic_. Something that makes Louis feel like this is _right_ , and good. Like they’re meant to be doing this -- doing it together. Like they'll get to where Louis wants them to be eventually, and this is part of a series of steps leading towards that. 

They make their way into the Jaeger Testing Facility, door sliding open for them. The empty lobby is dark and intimidating, and Liam reaches for Louis’ hand. Louis takes it without a thought, tugging him past the empty check-in desk and towards the nearest lift.

They ride in silence, fingers still tangled together. Louis can feel sweat where their skin is pressed together, palm clammy, but he doesn’t let go. He lets himself hold on tighter, even. The touch is an electric buzz under his skin, making the excitement that much worse.

They get to top level, the observation level. A big half-wrap around the garage that allows for personnel of all kinds to inspect and, well, _observe_.

Liam’s weight deadens when they pass the first holding bay. The half-built skeleton of a Jaeger is lit up in dim blue stand-by lighting, sleeping until morning. Louis knows Liam wants to take a proper look, but they have places to fucking _be_.

He tugs Liam’s hand, demanding attention. When he meets Louis’ expectant gaze, Liam smiles. Louis can feel it in his chest.

“Nearly there,” he says quietly. There’s no one around, so he doesn’t have to, but it feels necessary. Liam nods, letting Louis pull him along again.

She’s in bay six.

It’s all closed down so he gets to swipe the ID card with a flourish and watch Liam’s face as the viewing window opens looking out onto the hanger.

“Isn’t she beautiful?” Louis asks, grinning as Liam’s jaw drops and his eyes go wide. Louis can’t force himself to look away and spare the Jaeger a glance, but it’s alright, he already knows what she looks like. Spent a bit of time fucking about in the control room earlier, came across her feed, and couldn’t tear himself away.

She’s a Mark III. Over 25 stories tall, slimmed down from the bulkier old models but still stocky and thick. Broad chest, core hidden behind a thick breast plate. She’s rust red all over, trimmed with thick bands of yellow-golden down her arms and coloring her knuckles and over her Conn-Pod, like someone sunk their fingers into paint and dragged them over her head. There's a sword strapped to her back, massive guns mounted on her golden shoulders. She reminds him of a knight.

“Holy shit,” Liam says, moving closer to Louis, pressing their sides together.

Louis agrees completely. Looking at her now, he can’t stop his heart from beating a bruise against the inside of his ribcage. Truthfully, the only thing that’s made him ever feel like this before was when he told Liam he was a boy, and Liam frowned at him and said, “that makes so much sense.”

Louis wishes he could get down there, see her properly, get in the C-P and take her for a spin, but he can’t. He’s not above breaking and entering into various government facilities, but that’d be taking it a bit far.

“She’s going to be ours,” Louis says, squeezing Liam’s hand a bit too hard.

Liam looks at him, eyes still wide.

“I can feel it,” Louis says quietly. “Like, we’re meant for that Jaeger. The two of us.”

“You can’t know that,” Liam says, laughing wetly.

“Fuck yeah, I do,” Louis says, with conviction. “We’re making first cuts. We’re going to be co-pilots.”

The look on Liam’s face is still dubious, but Louis knows Liam and he knows all the fairytale romance bits of Liam. All the bits he’ll deny, but clings to because they mean there’s light and there’s goodness in the world, no matter what. Louis knows Liam wants this the same way Louis wants this because it’s means there’s hope.

“We’re going to pilot this Jaeger,” Louis tells him, watching the way a reluctant smile tugs at the corner of Liam’s mouth.

Liam believes in shit like fate and destiny -- believes in _meant to be_ , believes in _hope_. Most of all, Liam believes Louis and Louis believes this more than anything else in his damn life.

They’re going to pilot this fucking Jaeger.

**Author's Note:**

> and they do! obviously the Jaeger Louis falls in love with becomes Reckless Romeo and Lilo co-pilot it when they graduate the Academy in 2017, securing 3 Kaiju kills under their belt before volunteering for the Drift Initiative in 2019. which they volunteer for because Liam is literally like, 'remember all that shit you talked about Romeo, well this is my Feeling so we're doing it!'
> 
> [reblog on tumblr](http://queerlyalex.tumblr.com/post/170661077157/i-am-glad-we-are-friends-liamlouis-24k), or read [Let It Be Lightning](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10803675) (so you don't have to scroll ALL THE WAY back up)


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